Andrew Considine scored twice as Aberdeen beat Hamilton Academical at Pittodrie and closed the gap at the top of Premiership to eight points.

Considine volleyed Aberdeen ahead from close range after Hamilton had failed to clear a Niall McGinn free-kick.

The Dons dominated the second half, and McGinn hammered in a deserved second from inside the box.

Considine headed in Ryan Christie's cross at the back post to put the gloss on a dominant Dons display.

With Celtic losing earlier in the day to Kilmarnock, Aberdeen took the opportunity to move closer to the league leaders, while also taking advantage of Rangers' defeat to Hibernian to move six points clear in second place.

However, Hamilton fall to second-bottom with Ross County and Partick Thistle both picking up points.

Freddie Woodman replaced Danny Rogers in the Aberdeen goal after completing his loan move from Newcastle United on transfer deadline day.

The England U20 World Cup winner had ended up on the losing side against Hamilton when making his Kilmarnock debut last season.

There was little chance of that little bit of history repeating itself at Pittodrie as the visiting side, with several key players missing through injury and suspension, struggled to make any sustained impact going forward.

Niall McGinn scored his second goal since returning to Aberdeen

Ioannis Skondras did force Woodman into action midway through the opening period, but the acute angle always favoured the goalkeeper who blocked easily and by then slack defending at the other end saw the Dons hit the front.

McGinn delivered a free kick from the left that the Accies defence failed to deal with convincingly, allowing Considine to hook the loose ball home from the edge of the six-yard box.

Georgios Sarris was back from the start in the Hamilton side and he certainly looked like someone determined to make the most of it; showing pace to get back and prevent what looked like a certain goal for Adam Rooney, then throwing himself into blocking a Christie shot.

Rooney has another effort, getting underneath Christie's corner to send his header over the bar.

Scott McKenna had lashed in an amazing 40 yard goal the week before against Kilmarnock, and the youngster nearly repeated the trick when he responded to encouragement from the home fans by going for goal from a similar range, but goalkeeper Gary Woods guided the effort over the bar.

Then Considine was only inches away when McKenna glanced on a McGinn corner at the near post, before McGinn himself forced Woods into a smart save.

There was no denying McGinn his second goal since returning to the club though as he ended any doubt about the outcome; hammering home from the edge of the area after Kenny McLean's shot was blocked.

Considine made it 10 goals in a week for the Dons with a header from Christie's cross to end a satisfying afternoon for Derek McInnes' men even though they didn't really hit the heights.

Andrew Considine (second right) gave Aberdeen a first-half lead

Post-match reaction

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes: "I don't think we can look at other teams too much, we just have to be happy with our own work but it has been a good week's work and I'm really pleased with what the players have given us.

"Now we can leave league business alone and concentrate on preparing for the Scottish Cup game against Dundee United next week, and we have a lot to look forward to between now and the end of the season.

"Niall McGinn looks so much happier now and has so much energy about him and he is so vibrant. The quality he has always possessed is evident in the games. Whether it's from set piece delivery, wide areas or central areas - he effects the game.

"I think what we are also seeing now is not the tired Niall McGinn that we saw at the back end of last season in his previous time with us, but a refocused, motivated Niall McGinn as his body is allowing him to perform, bringing out the best of him."

Hamilton Accies manager Martin Canning: "It was disappointing to lose two goals to set pieces and for the other we let Kenny McLean cut in on his left foot which we talked about before the game. That seems to be the story of us just now.

"A lot of the boys are working hard enough and putting in good performances but are making mistakes at the wrong time and it's maybe a little bit naive from young boys learning their trade.

"It's always going to be difficult as we have probably taken seven or eight players out of the squad right now with those that left, those injured and suspended, and any team would feel an impact of that happened to them.

"Hopefully for the next game we will get some of our more experienced players back so that they make the squad stronger, but we know it is always going to be a tight league."